Fri May 13, 2011 10:01 pm
Senate Grilling of Big Oil CEO's over subsidies
By Adaoma
Big Oil was grilled in 2005, 2008 by the Senate. Since it did not lead to reforms then why would it lead to reform in 2011? It does not follow. And, why should it lead to reform. Senate is being lobbyed with millions and millions of oil dollars to keep policies just as they have been. Its campaign time, posturing time, promising time, shamming time. This is the time when workers are being fooled into voting, once again, for Democrats...or Republicans...no difference. For Congress, lobby money trumps the interests of workers. It may change when workers represent our own interests. Congress does not represent workers interests.
Adaoma
12.89 million in lobbying dollars from Chevron
12.4 million in lobbying dollars from Exxon
19.6 million in lobbying dollars from Conoco Phillips
7.3 million in lobbying dollars from BP-America
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rSQueetLvZQ
WASHINGTON, Nov. 9, 2005
Big Oil On The Hot Seat
Senators Grill Top Industry Executives On High Prices
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/11/09/politics/main1032135.shtml
Big Oil defends profits before irate senators
By H. Josef Hebert - Associated Press Writer
May 22, 2008
Washington — On a day oil prices leaped to unheard-of highs, senators lined up Big Oil's biggest executives and pummeled them with complaints that they're pretending to be "hapless victims" while raking in record profits
Oil industry execs grilled over tax benefits
By Paul C. Barton and Gary Strauss, USA TODAY
WASHINGTON — Despite record profits and consumer angst over gas prices approaching $4 nationally, oil industry CEOs say they still need billions in federal tax breaks to keep prices from rising further.
CEOs from ExxonMobil, Chevron, ConocoPhillips, BP America and Shell told a Senate Finance Committee on Thursday that gas prices could go up if tax breaks on domestic drilling and other costs are rescinded.
Senate Democrats, trying to eliminate the deductions to reduce the federal deficit, responded angrily, "I think you are deeply, profoundly out of touch," Sen. Jay Rockefeller, D-W.Va., told the CEOs.
http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2011-05-12-senate-oil-hearing_n.htm
05/12/2011
Rockefeller and Chevron CEO Disagree
Staff
Washington, D.C.
Rockefeller spent a few minutes telling Watson and four other representatives of large oil companies that they are out of touch with America and said they must be part of the "shared sacrifice" to get federal spending under control.
Watson disagreed.
"I don't think the American people want shared sacrifice, I think they want shared prosperity."
Rockefeller interrupted calling Watson's assessment "a lovely statement."
"Do you understand how out of touch that is?" Rockefeller asked. "We don't get to shared prosperity until we get to shared sacrifice."
West Virginia's senior senator did say some members of Congress are "terrified" about the size of federal budget cuts being discussed.
"The size of the cuts are awful. It means people could lose their health insurance. It means all kinds of things, Head Start, all kinds of things just stop happening."
Rockefeller told the oil companies he doesn't believe they will share anything.
"Because if you share something you get on the slippery slope. If you give up something you're on the slippery slope," he said. http://www.wvmetronews.com/news.cfm?func=displayfullstory&storyid=45408
Shell's record profits branded 'obscene'
http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2008/jan/31/royaldutchshell.oil1
Exxon Mobil's Profit in 2007 Tops $40 Billion
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